Drying apparatus



July 7, 1931. H. ANHALTZER 1,813,133

DRYING APPARATUS Filed March 13, '1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jul 7, 1931. I H, ANHALTZER 1,83,133

DRYING APPARATUS FiledMarh 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 memi:

3 v Figure 1 is a sectona atented duly 7, QS

i HENRY-ANHLTZER, or' rrmsiumn;rnixuxsYvAmA s` D RY ING APPA AT IS .Application filed March 13, 1928. Serial m. 261380;

, This invention'r'elates toidr'ying apparatus and, while not limited thereto, relates 'more particularly to dryingapparatus for drying viscous matter, and has for its: object ;the 6 provision of such an A apparatus that. will be automatic'in operation. v

Anotherobject is to provide an apparatus which will provide an eventhickness or layer of viscous matter for drying; ,p W A still furtherobject is to provide an ap,- paratus of this ..class which 'will produce a uniformly dry product andwill be ge'nerally eflicient in operation. i v. Otherobjects; and advantages will be -dis- 1 closed in the following specification,` and will be apparent fromthe disclosures of the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form'of ,my invention. V In the drawings dryin apparatus constructed in accordance with his invention'.-

hFi line I--II of Figurel. r r 'Figura ,3 isa transverse sectionalfplan through the valve'casing portion of the dis'- 'charge conduit;

Referringmore par ings, the numeral2 designates the o utercasing or shell of the apparatus which ssub stantially rectangular ;in shape' and s covered i with a layer of heat insulatingmateral'; An inner shell' or casing' l forming a dry ng chamber is mountd within the outer casngj 2 and sp aced therefrom to form a. space 5,

through which theproductsflof combustion from burners 8 circulate and heat thesnner shell' or dryng chamber. A deflector 78 mounted over each ofvthe bumers 8.; V I s The lower end ofthe' inner shellor casing 4: is 'closed by a hopper-like bottom wall' 6.j j The shell or, casing- 4 has an exhaust port 9 in its top wall'ewh ich is connectedto an exhaustcondut 10 leading to a standard exj- `hausting apparatus(not shown) adapted to create at least'a p shell& a q: v A 'pair' of spreading and flattenng rollers 12 and 13 are journaled, transverse ly, of the ,50 dryng chamloerformed bythe inner shell 1 side elevation ofla I re 2 ,is a sectional elevation' on the' ticularl to thedrawv artial {Vacuum within the v l adjacent the upper forward corner there-( of. The lower roller 12 is of materiallylarger diameter thanfthe upper ,roller 13 and forms the'receiying roller upon which thevisco-us i matteris fed The upper roller 13 is ,jour i;

naled 'in Vertically adjustable bearing's 14 mounted in gude ways 15 and adaptedto be adjusted Ve-rtically by'screws 16.1` The rollers and 13 are ge'aredtogether so as to cause smultaneous"rotation thereof by long tooth tical adjustment of the rollersw engageinent of the gears. i i

An endless conveyer belt 19 is wardly over a series of 'horizontally alined rollers 20,.then downoVeraroHer 21 slight-- U trainedover i the lower or large rollerl and then rearly below an'cl rearward oftherollers 20; then zontal line with the rollerl The belt 19 is %then :alternately trained "down, andunder then upwardly and over the rea'rinost one one of thevrollers 22 and up and over one' of g the rollersj 23 until it 'is trained about all of 22 it istrained up to th flattening roller 12; I p The upper ro-llers 23 are 'in .contact with the product `receiving side of the belt and,

e' lower spreading and to present line'. contactsto the belt. Each which contact with the belt; The roller 12 has its* throughthevshells 2 and 4,"andis provided With a 'gares whichis inmesh .With a pi'ni`on` 29 on the armature shaft 29 of a motor 30.`-

of the rollers23 are composed-of a hubportion' 26 .and thin knife-likebrih mmhers the rollei's 22 and 23, and frofthelastroller thereforgare'made of spiderformation so as ?shita "ext-erida&

Theroller-12,.the forward one of arolle rs a 20,"rol1er 21, rollers'22 and rollers %me all provided with sprocketsBl, and an endles's Cham 32 is trained ov all o f 'said sprockets so astolc use ,a simultaneous power opera:

tonlof all-&of said' rollers'. ;suitable lidler i sprockets 33are provided to hold the chan 321111 contactwth 'the sprockets 31. f

` A second-endless belt 35 istrai'ned around GO gears 17 andl which pernit a limited Veri ithout disrice ofrolle rs 22,. arranged in' a horizontal 10 the upper spreading and fiattening roller 13 and has its lower strand trained rearwardly over idler rollers 36, then downwardly over icller roller 37 and under idler roller 38, which rollers are spaced rearwardly beyond the rearmost lap of the conveyer belt 19; then forwardly under an i-dler roller 39 spaced below the series of rollers 22 and then around a tail roller 40 spaced below and forward of the forwardmost one of the rollers 22. From the roller 40 the belt is 'returned rarwaidly and under a guide-roller 41, then upwardly and over ar guide-roller 12, and then forwardly over a roller 43 to the up per side of the upper fiattening roller 13.

The rollers 36, 37, 38 and 39 'all engage the duet side of the belt, that is-t-'he side or V ace which contacts with the viscou's Inat-ter. Therefore, these rollers are preferably of der formation and are compo'sed of a hub 44 having radial blades or ri'bs 45 projecting therefrom which engage 'the belt.

A supply hopper 46 for the viscous 'matter 'tobe dried is mounted at the top of the apparatus and has a Conduit 47 which extends through 'the shellsor casings 2 and 4, and de 'livers the viscous matter onto the belt 19 'as it passes over the large lower 'flattening and squeez'in roller 12.

A sti rotary brush 48, 'prefera'bly formed of Wi're, is journaled immediately forward of the roller 12 and is adapted to engage and 'brush the belt 19 as it passes over the roller 12. The shaft of the brush 48 is "provided with a sprocket 49 which ''s connected to a sprocket 50 on the shaft of the roller 12 so 'as 'to provide a' power-drive for the brush.

' pair of fluted crimping rollers 51'-52 are journaled in the forward portion of the drying'chamber, forned by the shell 4, -at a pomt intermediate the roller 12 and the 'se'- ries'of rollers 22 and engagethe oppos'ite sdes of the belt 19 s'o as to forcesaid'belt 'into 'the flutes of said rollers 'and the'reby cru's'h and break u the layer of dried material carried by the elt. y y

A second stifi rotary brus'h 53, also preferiby formed of wire, is journaled immediately forward of the tailroller 40 for the belt 35 and is positionedso as to bear againsta d a'brade or brush the surface of the belt 35 as it passes around the 'roller 40, thereb" removing any dried material from the be t 35.

The brush 53 has a sprocket 54 securedn its "shaft which is connected by a sproeket chain 55 to a sprocket 56 on the forward- 'most roller 22 so as to provide a power drive frsaid brush.

The operation of the device so far describedfls 'as follows-- The Viscous matter to be'dried will be s'u plied to the hopper 46 and'will flow through the Conduit 47 down 'and onto the cnveyer belt 19 as it 'passes over thetop of the lower flttening and spreading roller 12.

The roller 12 and the majority of the guiderollers over which the belt 19 is trained are power driven. Therefore, the belt will be compelled to maintain a constant travel.

The conveyer belt 35 which is trained around the upper flatteningg,` and spreading roller 13 wil-l also be caused to maintain a constant travel, due to the power rota tion of the roller 13 which serves as a head roller or pulley.

As the 'belt 1 9, which has the viscous matterdepeited thereon, advances between the rollers 12 and 13, the vscous matter will be spread'out and flattened into a thin layer, due to the close setting of the rollers 12 and 13. The be l't 19 will Carry i ts thin layer fei matter theugh the apparatus where it wi ll 'be dried by the *combined eflecter both the hea't from the 'lem-'nere 8 'and 'the vacu'un' exhaust through the Conduit 10. The i'pper roller 13 may be used without 'the belt 35 in some instances 'but 'it is prefe i able generally 'to use the belt -35 so that a constantly changing and clean surface is 'presented 'by the roller 13 to contact with and fia t ten or spread o'utthe ina tter 'over `the conveyer belt 1 9.

As the 'belt 19 advances throu h the Ina chine, any of the viscous 'matter that becomes and flakes ofi' 'will fall upon the bel t 35 and be con'veyed forward'ly, and'deposited in the he per 6.

As the belt 1 9 moves npward'ly 'along the forward end of the machine i't will be crimped between therollers 51 and 52 and the major portion of *the `dried 'natte'r will be crushed and broken 'off of the belt and 'will 'fall into the hopper 6. Any dried matter remaining on the belt as i t passes onto the roller 12 will be removed by the sti-fi brush 48 and will 'fa-ll into *the hop er 6,30 that the belt 19 will *be entirely 'free of dried matter 'as it moves under the Conduit 17, ready to receive a new charge.

When the belt 35 is not used, a certain amount'of the viscous matter will stick to the i `the belt 35,- it is abraded or brushed by the brush 53 so that all the dried material is brshedoff 'into the hopper`6.

The hdpper `6 terminates tt its lower end in -'a diseharge Conduit 58 which is enlarged intermediate 'it's ends, as at 59, to `'form a Valv'e casing in 'which a valve-wheel 60 is mounted. The Valve-wheel 60 comprises a "shhit 61 having four radially eI-;tending eqiially spaced'valve-blades 62. The -shaft 61 is' journal'e'd in line with the one side of :71

the Conduit ,58 and the blades 62 areofsuch a size as to extend ,completely across the conduit. The edges of the blacles 62 are provided with a resilient scaling str1p64 adapted to form a seal with the side wall of the conduit.

The valve-wheel shaft 61 is provided with a mutilated gear' 65 which isadapted to be' meshed with a gear66 on the armature shaft 67 of a motor 68.

The valve-wheel .60 is adaptedto be rotated one quarter of 'a revolution at a time so that two blades will be positioned vertically' and two horizontally when the ,wheel is stationary.` 'The horizontal blade extending across the Conduit 58proper is adapteclto ntercept the dried matter from the hopper 6.

- adapted tobe completed by the blades 62 en- In order to insure that the valve-wheel will stop in the desired position' and also to v provide for automatically trippingthe wheel after a predetermined amount of dried matter has been deposited on the horizontal blade in the conduit 58,'a spring latch 69 is provided which engages the edge of the upper vertical bladeancl is tensioned so as to yield when a predetermined weight of dried matter-.has been deposited on'the horizontal blade in the Conduit 58. j i i The mutilated gear on the valve-wheel shaft 61 is provided with four-segments of teeth 70 separated by spaces 71 so that when the motor is energized thegear 66will mesh with one of the toothed segments '70 and rotate' the valve-whel one-fourth of a revolution and then will become unmeshedso as to permit the valve-wheel to stop against 'the spring latch 69 and be free to move again by the weight of the material.`

is adapted to be completed bythe valve-wheel' as it is moved by the latch 69 so as'to automatically energize and de-energize said motor. One line 75 of the motor circuit goes directly to the motor68, while the other line 76 is connected to the valve-wheel 60 and is which the teeth on the gear, thereby rotating the valve wheel 60 one quarter of a revolution. y i

i 'As the blade' of the wheel 60, which has' engaged the contact 7 7 ,moves away from the contact, the motor""circuit will be broken' However, the stored energy, ormomentum, of'

One of the electric circuits to the motor 68 a the motor willibejsuiiicient to ,complete the i quarter revolution of the valve-wheel 60. j

-While I have shown one specific and tried embodim'eft ,of my invention which is especially adapted for drying certain products, it

will be 'expressly understood that I do not wishto be limited thereto, since various modi fications may be r made without' departjing 'from the scope of my' invention, as defined-in '75 the appended claims. I :a

As an example of the modifications of which I'am aware, various forms of sources of heat may be substituted tor the Vburners 8, and any suitable' form otweighingyalve, ,either automatic or-manually operated, may besubstitutedfor the valve-wheel 60. Also,

the conveyer belt: 35 may be trained overzan *arrangement of rollers so as to closely ;follow the' path of the conveyer belt'19:-and'thus have aptortuous path through the drying i.

chamber. Theabove and many otherdetails of constructionare all meant to be included in' the scope of the claims as presented.

I claim-'- 9 1. In a drying apparatus for drying vis- ;cous matter, 'a pair of spreadingand fiattening rollers journaled in saidapparatus,a

plurality of guide-rollers journaled in spaced relation in said apparatus, and an endless trained over one of said spreading and flattenng rollers and over and under alternate ones of 'said guide-rollers, allof said guide.-

rollers contacting with the material carrying face of said endless belt being of spider-like Construction and composed of a hub and' a j plurality of radial blades adapted to have an edge contact with said belt.

2. A drying apparatus for drying viscous matter comprising an air-tight chamber having a vacuum eXhaust outlet and a discharge.

port forthe dried material, a source of heat, a pair` of spreading' and flattening rollers arranged oneabove theother and journaled 'in said chamber, aplurality of' guide rollers journaled in saidichamber, power means tor rotatngsaid spreading and fiattening rollers and said guide rollers, a pair oiendless conveyer belts for carrying the material to' i be 'dried, oneof said belts being trained over the lo wer of said spreading and fiattenng rollersand over certain ofsaid guide rollers' v so as to pass in a sinuous path through said chamber, and the other of said belts' being' trained over theupper of said spreadingand flattening rollers 'and over other of said guide a rollers so as to pass in a sinuous path through said chamber, all of said guide rollers contacting with the material carrying facesof v said belts being of spider-like Construction" and composed of a hub and aplurality of radial blades adapted to have an edge contact with said belts.

3. A drying apparatus for drying-viscous i matter comprising an air-tight chamher havbelt for carrying the material tobe dri'ed` ing a vaeuumexhaust outlet and a discha-ge port for the dried material, a source of heat, a pair of spreading and flattening rollers arranged one above the other and journa led in said chainber, at least one of said spreading and flattening rollers being adjustable vertically relative to the other, a plurality of guide rollers journaled in said ohamber, power means for rotating said spreading and flattening rollers and said guide rollers, a pair of endless conveyer belts for carrying the material to be dried, one of said belts being trained over the lower of said spreadin'g and fiattening roHers and over certain of said guide rollers so as to pass in a sinuous path through said ehamber, and the other of said bolts being` trained over the upper of said spreading and fiattening rollers and over other of said guide rollers so as to pass in a sinuous path through said ehanber, all of said guide rollers Contacting With the Inaterial Contacting faces of said belts being of spider-like Construction and compoeed of a hub and a plurality of radial. blades adapted to have an edge contact With said belts.

In testinony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

HENRY ANHALTZER. 

